Sunday, June 27, 2010

Play Me, I'm Yours (Luke Jerram's Street Pianos Art Installation)

British artist, LUKE JERRAM is touring the project called PLAY ME, I'M YOURS which is currently being presented by SING FOR HOPE in New York City. From 9 AM to 10 PM each day, 60 pianos are made available to play across the five boroughs of New York City. The pianos are located in public parks, streets and plazas for anyone to play and engage with. The photos above were taken on Broadway at 42nd Street (June 26), and near the Astor Place train station (June 27). The art installation will run through July 5, after which the pianos will be donated to local schools and community groups. The pianos were individually decorated by local artists and student volunteers.

“I’m so excited to see what will happen. The pianos are a blank canvas for everyone’s creativity so it’ll be interesting to see just how much talent is out there. I’ve always had the feeling that this artwork was meant to be presented here. When the pianos arrive on the steet they’ll belong to the people of this great city. Enjoy!” said Luke. “The idea for Play Me, I’m yours came from visting my local launderette. I saw the same people there each weekend and yet no one talked to one another. I suddenly realised that within a city, there must be hundreds of these invisible communities, regularly spending time with one another in silence. I hoped that by placing a piano into the space acts as a catalyst for conversation. Listening to this BBC world radio service program, it seems to be working.”

Founded by a group of opera singers, Sing for Hope mobilizes more than 600 world-class artists from classical musicians to photographers to Broadway performers who donate time and talent in volunteer service programs used to benefit schools, hospitals and communities.